You made a time machine... out of a DeLorean?!

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As some of you may be aware, I write about cars for a living. Sometimes, I even get to drive cool stuff. I don't make much money, but I certainly can't complain.

But even considering some of the stuff I get to drive, there are some cars that still send me into a childlike state of excitement when I know I'm going to be driving them.

Most of those cars are classics. Cars like the Jaguar E-Type, Jaguar MkII, MGB, Jensen Interceptor and - as the title hints - DeLorean DMC-12 I spent the day driving last weekend.

It was an organised meet for a bunch of car people on twitter, hosted by UK classic car hire company Great Escape Classic Car Hire. They've a huge fleet, and the below is simply a small selection. Thought I'd share a few photos and driving experiences with the good people of GTP...

Jaguar E-Type roadster​

I expect the E-Type is present on plenty of dream car lists, and although I've never felt as strongly about it as I do some other cars, it's certainly a car I've wanted to drive for some time.

It didn't disappoint. The engine, which puts out around 300bhp, is still awesome even after all this time - sounds amazing, pulls like a train from tickover in any gear. The gearbox is lovely and the steering, while heavy, still makes the car feel nimble. Only the "press and hope" brakes let the side down, but c'mon... would you really care?...


Jensen Interceptor

Was really looking forward to this one. I like big, lazy GTs - the sort of cars you can take on long road trips, which I enjoy more than any other sort of driving.

It didn't disappoint. Three-speed auto, power steering, power brakes... it was hilariously easy to drive compared to the other classics, despite its relative width. Still, I've driven modern cars that feel bigger and less wieldy.

Gotta love the combination of British class and American muscle, too.


Looked forward to the MkII too, but it's a bit of a "don't meet your heroes" deal.

It looks great of course, and feels great inside. Unfortunately, this one had a slipping clutch, with a bite point at the very, very top of its travel, and a very difficult gearbox. And the handbrake wasn't very strong.

Now, imagine you've had to stop on a steep hill. The handbrake can't hold you while you try and find the slipping, high bite point which has you rolling back down the hill... cue lots of revs and a dumped clutch to get going again.

Once it was moving it wasn't too bad - very heavy steering, but it likes to be hustled. It just wasn't as good as I was hoping :indiff:


Have to admit - couldn't wait for this. Yeah, you hear lots of rumors that they're rubbish to drive and slow, but does it really matter? This is a car designed to go slow, so everyone can point and stare.

And actually, it's not too bad. It's not quick - no more so than an original Miata - but it sounds fantastic, with a rally-bred sountrack from the V6, which cracks and pops on the overrun.

The steering is heavy but fast-geared, so you rarely need to take your hands off the wheel. The gearbox is imprecise (complicated linkage) but not bad. The brakes are weak, but with a firm shove you'll stop eventually. And yeah, the interior is badly built, but if ever a car was more about how it makes you feel than what it actually feels like to drive, this was it.


Given the other metal to drive, you might think the MGB would be overlooked.

Not a bit of it. Imagine a Miata with less power, but also much less grip. Every single roundabout is an excuse to "do a Stirling Moss" and pick your slip angle. It doesn't stay sideways for long as there isn't the power, but it's hilariously easy to do.

Everything else is great too - the brakes were the best on the day, as was the gearshift, as was the throttle response. And it's still a great shape. I now completely understand why they're still such a popular classic.


MG B by Vitesse Photography, on Flickr


MG B by Vitesse Photography, on Flickr​

Click on one of the pics for the Flickr gallery - there are plenty more!
 
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I've driven all of those too, spread over some time of course.

About the MK2. You need to find one with a proper clutch and gearbox. You must. For an early 60's car they drive really great. Almost nimble. Almost. :D

And the E-type is closer to 200HP, unless it has a gold or red Cylinder head, with 3 carbs.

I am jealous of you. I always needed to get filthy hands, and I mean filthy, as classic British engines and gearboxes are sealed with air instead of gaskets, to drive those cars. :lol:
 
Dennisch
I am jealous of you. I always needed to get filthy hands, and I mean filthy, as classic British engines and gearboxes are sealed with air instead of gaskets, to drive those cars. :lol:
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I'm jealous too, just not on the filthy hands and stuff part. :lol: Wish I had such an opportunity, especially that MGB, man do I love those MGs. :drool: Even though you said it lacks the power, have you driven the V8 GT or MGC "variants"?
 
Dennisch
And the E-type is closer to 200HP, unless it has a gold or red Cylinder head, with 3 carbs.
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This was a Series 2 4.2, which I'm led to believe have over 250bhp as standard, and we were told this one had "nearly 300", so I expect it might have had some tweaks.

And yeah, I need to try a MkII in full health, I think. I also prefer the looks of ones without the rear wheel spats.

EliteDreamer
I'm jealous too, just not on the filthy hands and stuff part. :lol: Wish I had such an opportunity, especially that MGB, man do I love those MGs. :drool: Even though you said it lacks the power, have you driven the V8 GT or MGC "variants"?
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I've not had a go in the V6 or V8 versions, but like many vehicles of that type, you often trade power for balance and weight. I'm sure they're equally good fun, but in a different way. I'd often take the lighter, better balanced car on skinnier rubber than something with more grip, heavier steering and a lump of an engine up front.
 
Thanks for the pics and mini-reviews HFS. 👍 Interestingly recently I've been research prices and running costs of a DeLorean as my son says he wants one in the future (every pun intended) and, if he's serious, then now's the time to do rather than when prices go up later. You can currently get a mint example with less than 20K on the clock for about £21-22K plus you can still get hold of parts for them. I think that's a bargain.
 
EliteDreamer
I'm jealous too, just not on the filthy hands and stuff part. :lol: Wish I had such an opportunity, especially that MGB, man do I love those MGs. :drool: Even though you said it lacks the power, have you driven the V8 GT or MGC "variants"?
Click to expand...


The MGB with a I4 is the one to drive, for todays standards it needs some engine tweaks, but still, it is the way a small British 2 seater needs to be.

The V8 and C really suffer from the extra weight in the front, try steering after braking hard.... But they are seriously quick in a straight line. And the V8 just sounds great.
 
Driving an E-type is something a car nut should have done in his or hers life. Preferably a restored one.

My best drive in a E-type was in the middle of winter, -5c, with the top down, heater blowing full, and going pretty much flat out. :D Old cars drive at their best when it is really cold outside. :P
 
The E-Type really was excellent. Was the closest to a modern car in performance, and felt far more nimble and easy to position than you'd expect with that huge bonnet. Great noise, too.

It's really, really difficult to rank them too. The MkII had to come last because I spent more time trying to learn how to drive again than I did in the others, which were mostly a case of hopping in and getting used to them.

The MG was most outright fun, because you could drive it on its limit everywhere. I'm not sure I'd drive one daily, but it does make me want another MX-5 because it brought back all those sensations. Though I'd actually now consider an MX-5 with no power steering, and certainly one on the original skinny tyres. May as well go down the full old-school route!

The Interceptor was great, and of all of them it's one I'd probably most like to own, even though you'd be lucky to get 10mpg from it on a good day. Classics always take a little getting used to, but with power everything and an auto 'box you could literally start enjoying the Jensen the moment you fired the engine.

axletramp
Thanks for the pics and mini-reviews HFS. 👍 Interestingly recently I've been research prices and running costs of a DeLorean as my son says he wants one in the future (every pun intended) and, if he's serious, then now's the time to do rather than when prices go up later. You can currently get a mint example with less than 20K on the clock for about £21-22K plus you can still get hold of parts for them. I think that's a bargain.
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Agreed. The DeLorean really got under my skin. Even on the day people were saying it was too wide, difficult to drive, difficult to see out of etc, but honestly it's no worse than many modern cars. If I had the money lying about and I already had an Interceptor in the garage, the DeLorean would be strongly considered. I don't even care that it's a little slow.
 
I used to own a series 1 1968 E-Type convertible with the 4.2 I6, it is one of my favorites. I do love my current XJS with the V12 though, she sounds wonderful :)
 
EliteDreamer - thanks for the correction - I'm not much of an expert on MGs :)

MustangManiac
I used to own a series 1 1968 E-Type convertible with the 4.2 I6, it is one of my favorites. I do love my current XJS with the V12 though, she sounds wonderful :)
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Not surprised, I love the styling of the XJS. Funnily enough though, everyone present on the day I was driving the E-Type (a bunch of other car writers, basically) all agreed that the E-Type shouldn't have a V12 - the I6 is always the better engine.

In the XJS though, a V12 somehow works. I'd like to have a go in an XJS one day, I'm a big Jag fan.

More pics from the weekend:

 
I just don't get the MGB thing. It's not that I hate them or doubt they're fun, it's just that I can't get excited about them in any way. I've know a couple of friends who've owned and loved them, but even their enthusiasm didn't help. Perhaps it's familiarity or the fact that it's the tan-gloved wearing retired couples' getaway car of choice. ;)
 
axletramp
I just don't get the MGB thing. It's not that I hate them or doubt they're fun, it's just that I can't get excited about them in any way. I've know a couple of friends who've owned and loved them, but even their enthusiasm didn't help. Perhaps it's familiarity or the fact that it's the tan-gloved wearing retired couples' getaway car of choice. ;)
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Don't get me wrong - I actually feel exactly the same way. I honestly can't see myself owning one, even though it was immensely fun. I can't see a single situation in which I wouldn't prefer another MX-5 to owning an MGB.

However... before I'd driven one I felt even more like that. But I can now totally see why people do like them. I'd assumed, before I drove one, that it'd be really stodgy to drive, flopping all over the place, not having enough power, nasty controls etc, but it's much better than that.
 
If it's a small British sports car from that era I'd take an MG Midget, Frogeye Sprite or Austin-Healey (if I was feeling a little flush) over one any day.
 
I've not driven any of those, though I'm led to believe the Spridget is good fun. I'm not all that much of a fan of some of those British sports cars, even though they're exactly my sort of car. Beyond the Lotus Elan or bigger stuff like the E-Type, very few of them appeal.
 

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